Stabilizing device for car trucks



Jan. 3,1939. aww/EEB. 2,142,426

STABILIZING DEVICE FOR CAR TRUCKS` Filed sept. 28, 193e Z/ /Z INVENTOI?.

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED sTATEs PATENT ol-FICE STABILIZING DEVICEFOR CAR. TRUCKS Edwin W. Webb, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard CarTruck Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationSeptember 28, 1936, Serial No. 102,937

8 Claims. (Cl. 105-193) This invention relates to stabilized car trucks.It is a general object of the invention to provide a novel and improvedstabilized car truck wherein it is unnecessary to utilize a spring plankbetween the opposite side frames of the truck and wherein cumulativeperiodic action of the bolster springs is-prevented.

Another object is to provide improvements f my invention disclosed in U.S. lLetters Patent No. 1,894,386 entitled Spring damping truck grantedin my name on January 17, 1933.

A more specic object is to provide, in a car truck incorporatingstabilizing wedges interposed between the truck bolster and the bolstercolumns of a side frame, means to prevent uneven wear of the wedges.

Another specic object is to provide, in a stabilized truck ofthe generalconstruction disclosed in my aforementioned patent, means for retainingthe stabilizing wedges assembled with the bolster as the bolster isdisengaged from. the side trame.

'I'he objects and advantages oi' the invention will more fully appearfrom the following description, made in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the sameor similarparts throughout the various views, and in which,

Pig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical sectionof a portion of a car truck embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 2--2 ofFig. 1, as indicated by the arrows, but showing parts of the bolsterbroken awayto more clearly illustrate the construction or other parts;

Fig. 3 is a view in side'elevation looking outwardly toward the innersurface `of onek of the outer wedges; v

Fig. 4 is a` vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, asindicated by the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the inner wedges;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line Ii-Glof Fig. 5, as indicated bythe arrows; and

Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of the inner wedge as shown in Fig.5.

-Referring to the drawing, portions of a side frame l of a car truck areillustrated and this side frame is provided with the usual bolsteropening` l, the sides of which are defined by bolster columns Il. Thelower partsof these bolster columns Il are spaced farther apart than theupper parts oi these columns, so as to pervinit of ready removal of thebolster II which is normally received within the bolster opening 9between the upper portions of the columns I0. The truck bolster I I. issupported near its ends by standard A. R. A. bolster springs I2 from theside frames 8, these springs resting on lower bearing plates I3 mountedon the spring seats` 5 of `the side frames. The outer springs I2 of thespring group are laterally spaced from the inner springs I2 a greaterdistance than' usual for a purpose presently to appear. 'Ihe bolster I Iis equipped with the usual inner and outer stop 10 flanges I4 and I5respectively which cooperate with the sides of the upper portions of thebolster columns I I to prevent anything more than the most limitedlateral motion of the bolster II relative to the side frames.

In accordance with the invention, heavy wear plates I6 are riveted orotherwise secured to the upper portions of the faces of the bolstercolumns I0. Adjacent these wear plates the sides of the bolster II areprovided with recesses I1 20 which project inwardly from the verticalside outlines of the bolster to a web Il disposed `chieiiy in a verticalplane and projecting upwardly from the bottom of the bolster to anoverhanging web or iiange I9 at the top oi' the bol- 25 ster. Directlyopposite the wear plates I6 the central sections of the webs Il areprovided with recessed ball contours 2li of substantially half sphericalshape. The outer surfaces of the central sections of the webs I8immediately ad- 30 jacent the yball contours 2l lie in planes which arediagonally inclined upwardly and outwardly towards the sides of thebolster.

Received within each recess I'I of the bolster between a web Il and theadjacent wear plate I6 are a pair of cooperating stabilizing memberswhich comprise wedgesv 2| and 22 respectively. The outer wedges 2l haveheavy-.vertical outer surfaces which bear against the wear plates I6 forsliding movement relative thereto. The inwardly facing surfaces of theouter wedges 2| incline upwardly and outwardly at an acute angle to theouter surfaces of the outer wedges. The bottoms of the outer wedges 2|are provided with downwardly projecting bosses Ila which are encircledby the upper ends of coiled springs 23 which bear at their lower ends onthe bearing plates I3, these bearing plates being equipped with bossesIla to receive the lower ends of the springs 23. These springs 23 are 50located intermediate the outer and inner springs I2 of the bolsterspring group and the outer and inner springs oi' this group are morewidely spaced than usual to permit reception oi' the springs 23-betweenthe same. The springs Il which may be called stabilizing springs incontradistinction to the bolster springs i2 are much lighter and ofmaterially less capacity than the bolster springs i2. The inner Wedges22 have heavy inwardly projecting half spherical-shape projectionsforming ball surfaces 22a which are received within the ball contours 2Bof 'the bolster. These inner wedges also have front and rear flanges 22hprojecting from plane surfaced faces contacting the inclined faces ofthe outer wedges 2| and these flanges overlie front and rear portions ofthe outer wedges 2| so that the outer wedges are in reality receivedwithin channels in the inner wedges.

The inner wedges 22 are, of course, held from lateral movement relativeto the truck lengthwise of the bolster by reason of the reception of thehalf spherical-shape projections 22a within the ball contours 2U of thebolster. The 'outer wedges 2| in turn are held from lateral movementrelatlveto the truck longitudinally of 'the bolster by the anges 22h ofthe inner wedges 22. OI course, the front and rear portions of the webI8 of the bolster will also prevent lateral displacement of the wedges..

To retain the outer and inner Wedgesi and 22 respectively, in assembledposition relative to the bolster` when' the bolster is removed from theside frames, diagonally inclined slots 2lb are provided in the outerwedges 2| extending from front to rear of the same and across pins .2dcarried by the front and rear portions of the webs i8 o! the bolsterextend across the recesses i l and project through the diagonalslots2lb. These slots 2|b are of sutcient length to permit the necessaryupward and downward sliding movement Vof the outer wedges 2| relative tothe wear plates I6. Y

When the truck embodying the invention is in use cumulative periodicaction of the bolster springs is prevented by reason of the use of theouter and inner wedges 2| and, 22 respectively and the springs 23. .Asthe bolster H-tends to lower relative to the side frames 8 duringcompressive action of the bolster springs l2, the inner wedges 22 tendto slide downwardly on the outer wedges `2| but this sliding movement isresisted by the springs 23. Accordingly, the pairs of wedges 22 and 2|are brought into tighter wedging relation between the wear plates I6 andthe bolster and while the outer wedges 2| may slide relative to the wearplates i6, the frictionai resistance oiered by the wedges -to this sliding movement dampens the action of the bolster springs I2 sov as tobreakdown the natural harmonic action of these springs and preventcumulative periodic action of the same as the truck over rail joints ata certain speed. By reason of the use of the ball sections 22a on theinner wedges and the ball contours 20 in the bolster even pressure isapplied from the bolster to the inner wedges 22 at all timesirrespective ot the particular position of the bolster relative to theside frames. Thus if one en d of the bolster should move slightiy ahead`of the other end of the same, even pressure is applied to the wedges.There is vno tendency for the wedges to wear unevenly by reason of thisfact as might otherwise be the case if the universal connection betweenthe inner wedges and the bolster were not made.

While in the embodiment shown the inner wedges are equipped with theball surfaces 22a and the bolster is provided with the ball contours 20,it will be understood that a reversal yjacent said bolster opening, abolster received within said bolster opening, springs supporting said'bolster from said side frame, Wedges arranged-in pairs between the sidesof said bolster and said columns, certain wedges of each pair and saidbolster having universal joint connections and springs supporting saidpairs of Wedges on said side frame.

2. In a car truck, a side frame having a lateral bolster opening thereinand having columns adjacent said bolster opening, a bolster receivedwithin said bolster opening, springs supporting said bolster from saidside frame, inner and outer wedges arranged in pairs between the sidesof said bolster and said columns, the inner wedges of said pairs .havingpartially spherical surfaces thereon contacting the bolster and saidbolster having partially spherical contours therein to receive thepartially spherical surfaces of said inner wedges and springs supportingsaid pairs of wedges on said side frame.

3. In a car truck, a side frame having a lateral bolster opening thereinand having columns ad jacent said bolster opening, a bolster having anend portion received within said bolster opening. bolster springssupporting said end of said bolster from said side frame, pairs ofstabilizing members interposed between the sides of said bolster andsaid columns, one member o! each pairgbearing against a ,column andhaving a diagonal surface thereon for engaging the other member of thepair, the other member of the pair engaging the diagonal surface abovespecied and including a ball section received within a correspondinglyshaped recess inv the side wall of said bolster and springs supportingsaid stabilizing members vfrom the side frame.

4. In a. car truck, side frames having bolster openings and columnsadjacent the same, a bolster structure having ends disposed within saidbolster openings, bolster springsv supporting the ends of said bolsterstructure from said side frames, pairs of oppositely disposedstabilizing .members interposed between the sides of said bolsterstructure and said columns, the ends of .said bolster structure bearingagainst one of each l pair of said members, l'springs interposed betweenthe other member of each pair and portions of said side frames, saidlast mentioned springs urging said stabilizing members intowedgingrelation between said bolster structure and said columns as said bolstersprings are increasingly compressed and means retaining said stabilizingmembers in assembled relationon the said bolster structure as thebolster structure is removed from said bolster openings in said sideframes.

5. A bolster for stabilized trucks having an end portion adapted to bereceived within the bolster opening oi a side frame, the sides of saidend portion having half spherical shaped ball contours therein toreceive stabilizing members.

6. A bolster for stabilized trucks having an end portion adapted to bereceived within `a bolster opening in a side frame, the sides of saidend portion having recesses therein within which stabilizing members maybe received and the walls of said recessed portions having contours ofpartly spherical shape.

- 7. In a car truck, a side frame having a lateral bolster openingtherein and having columns adjacent said bolster opening, a bolsterreceived within said bolster opening, bolster springs supporting saidbolster from said side frame, stabilizing wedges arranged in pairsbetween the sides of said bolster and said columns, certain wedges ofeach pair and said bolster having universal joint connections andstabilizing springs of materially less capacity than said bolstersprings supporting said pairs o! wedges on said side frame.

8. In a car truck, a side frame having a lateral bolster opening thereinand having columns adjacent said bolster opening, a bolster receivedWithin said bolster opening, bolster springs supporting said bolsterfrom said side frame, stabilizing wedges arranged in pairs between thesides of said bolster and said columns, certain wedges of each pairhaving integral rounded surfaces and said bolster having roundedcontours receiving said rounded surfaces and stabilizing springs ofmaterially less capacity than said bolster springs supporting said pairsof wedges on said side frames.

EDWIN W. WEBB.

